1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, a device for assisting a driver of a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, an assembly unit and a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle, for implementing the method and/or having the device and/or having at least one assembly unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of vehicles, in particular in the case of commercial vehicles, it is possible for the temperature of vehicle tires to increase so intensely during a journey that the tires catch fire. The cause of an increase in temperature of this type is frequently an air pressure that is too low in a vehicle tire that is embodied as a pneumatic tire, whereby during the journey the deformation or the distortion of the vehicle tire is clearly increased. Frequently, even a gradual drop in pressure of the vehicle tire is enough to increase the distorting movement of the vehicle tire to a critical extent. It is dangerous for the vehicle tires to ignite in particular in the case of transporting dangerous goods, since, by way of example, the ignition could also lead to a fuel tank fire or to the load igniting.
It is known to continuously measure the temperature of the vehicle tire during a journey with the vehicle to prevent a vehicle tire igniting. For this purpose, a temperature sensor is typically arranged in a hollow chamber of a vehicle tire that is embodied as a pneumatic tire, the hollow chamber being filled with air. A transmitting device is then allocated to the temperature sensor and the measuring signal of the temperature sensor is then transmitted to an indicating device of the vehicle by the transmitting device and the indicating device indicates information regarding the state of the vehicle tire to the driver of the vehicle. With the aid of this information, it is possible for the driver to perform suitable measures in order to prevent the vehicle tire igniting.
A system of this type is disclosed, by way of example, in DE 102 36 140 A1, which discloses a device for measuring the air temperature of a tire, wherein a tire valve that can be attached to a wheel rim of the tire is connected to a receiving arrangement for a transducer. In the state in which the tire valve is attached to the wheel rim, the receiving arrangement is located in a hollow space of the tire, the tire being embodied as a pneumatic tire, so that the air temperature in the hollow space of the tire can be measured by the at least one transducer. The measured values are then relayed to a receiver arranged in a vehicle interior and are indicated to the driver of the vehicle. In the case in which the measured values are in excess of or rather below a critical value, a corresponding signal is generated in addition.